Leather grading machine



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fnvenr `Lawrance Afan/bey United States Patent LEATHER GRADING MACHINE Lawrence Mawbey, Leicester, England, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New `lersey Original application August 31, 1953, Serial No. 377,550, now Patent No. 2,720,101, dated October 11, 1955. Divided and this application February 15, 1955, Serial No. 488,369

7 Claims. (Cl. 33-147) This invention relates to evening and grading machines of the type which measure the minimum thickness of a work piece such, for example, as a sole, reduce the sole to a uniform thickness the same as or approximating its minimum thickness, and stamp the sole according to its evened thickness.

Machines ot this type, as in the case of that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,703,955, granted March 5, 1929, upon an application of W. T. B. Roberts, commonly comprise a measuring mechanism for detecting the minimum sole thickness, an evening orsplitting mechanism for evenly reducing the sole, and mechanism actuated by the measuring mechanism for setting the evening mechanism corresponding to the minimum sole thickness or within a half-unit of thickness measurement, the usual such unit being called an iron which is g of an inch. As an improvement upon the entirely mechanical mechanism of this Roberts machine for setting the evening mechanism, there has been developed iluidoperated means for setting the evening mechanism, as disclosed in Letters Patent No. 2,338,283, granted January 4, 1944, upon an application of l. Gouldbourn et a In a further improved machine of this type disclosed 1n United States Letters Patent No. 2,720,101, granted October 11, 1955, upon an application of Lawrence Mawbey, of which the present application is a division, there 1s provided a similar fluid-operated mechanism as a part of a more extensive Huid-operated system which includes fluid-operated minimum thickness registering means for registering the minimum thickness of a work piece being measured while the preceding work piece is passing through the evening mechanism, and for retaining this measurement without affecting the splitting operation being carried out on the preceding work piece.

.The prior Gouldbourn machine referred to above comprises, in the mechanism for actuating the measurement registering mechanism, a work engaging shoe disposed rearwardly of the measuring means and at some distance therefrom. Accordingly, the leading end of the work piece must pass through this distance, after emerging from the measuring mechanism, before the measurement registering action can be started and a corresponding length of the work piece is not measured. Such mechanism is capable of dealing satisfactorily with large work pieces such as soles, for example, as portions of the toe and heel ends of soles may be disregarded, as far as the minimum thickness measurement is concerned. However, when dealing with an extremely short work piece, such as a top lift, it is evident that the measuring action, to be effectual, must be carried out along its entire length.

In view of the foregoing and in accordance with one feature of this invention, the illustrated machine includes with thickness measuring means and thickness registering means, improved mechanism for actuating the registering means comprising a shoe so mounted that it is engaged by the leading end of the work piece immediately upon its emergence from the measuring means, and connec- "ice tions between the shoe and registering means for actuating the latter immediately when the measuring action of the measuring means begins. This early operation of the shoe is made possible by the fact that, in accordance with another feature of the invention, one of the cooperating members of the measuring means is recessed adjacent to the` other member and the shoe is mounted with its work-engaging end disposed within this recess.

A similar provision, in which invention is also to be recognized, insures that the termination of the minimum thickness measurement will not occur until the trailing end of the work piece passes through the measuring means. To this end, and in addition to the usual gate mounted at an appreciable distance forwardly of said easuring means, the illustrated machine includes an auxiliary gate or measurement terminating shoe mounted in the above-mentioned recess and which, when it drops off the trailing end of the work piece passing out of the measuring means, causes the termination of the operation of the registering means concurrently with the termination of the measuring operation. In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, operator controlled means is provided in the illustrated machine for rendering operative, selectively, either the usual gate or the auxiliary measurement terminating shoe, whereby a complete or partial measuring action, as desired, upon the trailing end of the work piece can be obtained at will.

For convenience in describing the invention, reference is made herein to shoe soles and top lifts, as typical examples of work pieces commonly operated on in the machine disclosed, and also to both measuring and splitting, as well as size stamping, as the usual operations performed by the machine. However, it is to be understood that the invention, in certain aspects, may have application to the measuring or splitting functions alone, as Well as in combination with each other and with the stamping function, and also is not to be considered as limited in any way in respect to the kind of work piece operated upon.

These and other features of the invention, including certain details of construction and combinations of parts, will be described as embodied in an illustrative machine and dened in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an illustrative machine embodying the invention as viewed from the right, certain parts of the machine having been omitted, broken away or shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine as viewed from the left;

Fig. 3 is a view in plan ofthe machine of which certain parts have been broken away or shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a front sectional elevation showing the measuring mechanism and other parts associated therewith, the section being taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the machine, as viewed from the right, showing the measuring mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation similar to Fig. 5 but showing the measuring mechanism as viewed from the left side of the machine;

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of the machine, as viewed from the right side, showing the measuring, stamping and evening mechanism as well as that for transferring the work from the measuring mechanism to the evening mechanism to the evening mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the evening and stamping mechanisms and the mechanism for setting the evening mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a rear elevation of a part of the setting mechanism for the evening mechanism;

Fig. 10 is a plan View vof the lower part of the structure shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged side elevation of a part of the measurement registering means shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 12 is a sectional rear elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 11, the section being taken along the line X11-XII in Fig. 1l;

Figs. 13, 14 and 15 are fragmentary side elevations illustrating different operative states of the measurement registering mechanism of Fig. 11;

Fig. 16 is an enlarged sectional plan view of a control valve of the type shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 17 is a view in cross section of the valve shown in 16, the section being taken along the line XVII- XVII of Fig. 16; and

Fig. 18 is a diagrammatical View of the duid-operated mechanism of the illustrated machine.

M ensuring mechanism The measuring mechanism of the illustrative machine comprises an upper measuring roll 1 (Figs. 4 and 7) and a lower measuring roll 3 arranged directly below the upper roll. Reduced end portions 5, 7 of the lower roll 3 are rotatably mounted in bearings 9, 11 which are secured in lower end portions of vertical guideways formed in side portions of a machine frame 13. The lower measuring roll is driven continually, while the machine is operated, by a spur gear 15, secured on the left hand end portion of the roll which gear is driven by a train of speed reduction gears from a driving shaft 17 (Fig. 2). The peripheral vsurface of the lower measuring roll is knurled and has formed therein two grooves 19, 21 (Fig. 4), spaced some one-half of an inch on either side of the center, for the purpose of receiving two work-feeding chains 23, 25.

The upper measuring roll 1 has a smooth work-engaging peripheral surface, is bored axially and has secured in it at the right hand end of the bore a plug 27 which has extending from it to the right a short spindle 29 which is rotatably mounted in a bearing 31 for the right hand end of the roll. The left end portion of the plug 27 forms one part 33 of a universal coupling and is recessed lengthwise to receive a disk 35 so positioned that the axis of the disk intersects the axis of the roll at the middle thereof. The disk has a portion cut away, the cut extending from the edge of the disk inwardly beyond the center of the disk so that the disk is of horseshoe shape and receives within the cnt one end portion of a driving rod 37 to which it is pivoted by a pin 39. The driving rod 37 extends to the left beyond the left end of the upper roll and is universally connected to a sleeve portion 41 of a gear 43 by a disk 4S and a pin 47 similar, respectively, to the disk 3S and the pin 39. The left end portion 49 of the roll 1 is reduced and rotatably mounted in a bearing 51` formed upon one end portion of a laterally disposed yoke 53, the other end portion ofwhich contains the bearing 31 aforementioned. The sleeve portion 41 of the gear 43 is rotatably mounted in a bearing 55 fixed in the frame 13 and the' gear`43 meshes with a gear 57 fixed to the left end of the lower roll 3, the arrangement being such that the upper and lower rolls rotate at the same peripheral speed but in opposite directions. The arrangement is also such that the upper roll 1 may rise and fall according to variations in thickness of a work piece passing between the rolls and is continually driven by the gear 43 through the univesral coupling, while the gear remains correctly meshed with the gear 57 even though one end of the roll 1 is lifted higher than the other. The center portion of the peripheral work-engaging surface of the upper roll 1 has formed in it a rectangular groove 59, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained. The bearings 31 and 51 are movably mounted in slideways 61 (Fig. 5)in the sides of the frame 13 and are provided with anges 63, 65 (Fig. 4) .arcuately shaped so that the bearings their outer ends on pins 81, 83, respectively. The pins 81, 83 are xed in carriers 85, 87 having left-hand and right-hand threaded bores, respectively, which engage left-hand and right-hand threaded portions, respectively, of an adjusting rod 91 journaled in end walls of a laterally disposed housing 93 which bridges the main frame. Rotation of the adjusting rod 91 varies the distance between the rolls 69, 71, the said rotation being effected by a chain sprocket 95 fixed on the rod 91 and driven by a chain 97 Fig. 5).

The upper peripheries of rolls 69, 71 engages two horizontally disposed pins 99, 101 (Figs. 4, 5 and 6) carried by two arms 193, 105 freely mounted on a shaft 107 journaled horizontally in the housing 93, the two arms being out away in such a manner that the lowermost .portions of the pins 99, 101 are exposed along their whole length. By this means, the rolls 69, 71 are able to engage respectively the pins 99, 101 throughout the range of their adjustment. The pins are urged downwardly into engagement with the rolls by springs 109, 111 (Figs. 5 and 6) stretched between hooks in the rea-r end of the arms and an adjustable anchorage (not shown) carried by a bracket fixed to the rear wall of the housing 93.

Fixed on the shaft 197 between the two arms 103, 105 is a member 113 (Figs. 4 and 6) having two forwardly and laterally extending fingers one of which engages a face on the underside of the arm 103 and the other of which engages a face on the underside of the arm 1115. Also fixed on the shaft 167 near the right-hand end is a wedge-carrying arm 115, having a downwardly directed face 117 (Fig. 5) against which an upper face of a wedge 119 slides when adjustment is made as hereinafter described. Into the wedge 119 is threaded a stem 121. journaled in .the arm 115, a collar formed on the stem abutting against the arm to prevent the stem from moving rearwardly. A knurled knob is fixed on the rcarward end portion of the stem 121 and a spring 122 cornpressed between the knob and the arm 115 prevents forward endwise movement of the stem. Rotation of the stem thus moves the wedge 119 along the face 117. The lower face of the wedge is inclined to the axis of the stem and engages an upper face of a swiveling block 123, a stem of which is pivotally mounted in a forwardly extending arm of a three-armed lever 125. The said lever 125 is freely mounted on a right-hand end portion of the shaft 107. An upwardly extending arm of the lever 125 has formed thereon two stop faces one of which engages an adjustable stop screw 127 and the other end of which engages a similar screw 1,29, both screws being threaded'into bosses formed on walls of the housing 93. The arm is urged toward thethe screw 127 by a spring 131 stretched between a hook in the downwardly extending arm of the lever 125 -and a hook in a forward wall of the frame 13. The lower end portion of the said downwardly extending arm is connected to a duid-operated measurement registering mechanism hereinafter described. v l

With the arrangement of the measuring roll mechanism as just described it will be understood that as the upper roll is raised owing to a work piece passing between the rolls 1 and 3, the rolls 69, 71 are raised by the yoke 53 `and rotate the arms 1113, about the shaft 107. The arms 103, 105 are followed in their rotation by the member 113 urged thereagainst by the action of the spring 131 through the lever 125, the swivel block 12.3, the wedge 119 and the arm 115 which is iixedon the shaft 107, the

lever 125 thus being moved an amount proportional toA the amount the measuring roll is raised. If, however, the` upper roll 1 is tilted owing to a work piece being thicker at one side margin than the other, the lever 12S will only be moved an -amount proportional to the movement of that one of the rolls 69, 71 which is over the thinner margin, owing to the member 113 being stopped in its following movement by the lower of the arms 103, 105. It also follows that for the measurement of the thinner margin to be effected correctly when the roll is tilted the rolls 69, 71 must be positioned, by rotation of the adjusting rod 91, approximately over the margins of the work plece.

The wedge 119 constitutes a convenient means for correctly adjusting the measuring mechanism. In addition, it may be used, when work pieces of relatively soft leather are operated upon and the measuring rolls tend to compress the work piece so that an excessive amount of waste would be split from the work piece, to make allowance for such excessive compression of the work piece and permit the proper amount of waste to be removed therefrom.

The stop screw 127 may be used as a maximum stop to enable the machine to be so adjusted that a work piece whose thinnest portion exceeds a desired maximum thickness is evened, not to the thickness of the thinnest portion, but to the desired maximum thickness.

Similarly the stop screw 129 may be used as a minimum stop to enable the machine to be so adjusted that no work piece is evened below a desired minimum thickness even through the work piece may have a portion thinner than the desired minimum.

With the arrangement of the measuring rolls as described, only relatively light spring pressure in addition to the weight of the upper roll and bearings is suiiicient for the purpose of measuring the work piece, while roll supporting and balancing mechanisms as employed hitherto are dispensed with. This enables the measuring mechanism to be more sensitive than has hitherto been the case.

To assist in the presentation of work to the machine a table 133 (Figs. 3 and 5) is fixed on the front of the frame 13 with its work-engaging face substantially level with the bite of the measuring rolls, and is provided with a transverse recess in which is housed a right and left threaded screw 135 journaled at each end in bearings provided in the table. Work piece guides 137 have depending lugs which extend into the recess and have holes appropriately threaded to engage the corresponding thread on the screw 135. Rotation of the screw by means of a knob 140 on the right-hand end thereof causes the work piece guides to move toward or away from each other. A sprocket 141 on the left end of the screw is connected by the chain 97 to the aforementioned sprocket 95 and causes the rolls 69, 71 to be correspondingly moved toward or away from each other.

The placing of the work table substantially level with the bite of the measuring rolls is made possible by the fact that the lower measuring roll is not movable, whereas in the case of a movable lower roll it is necessary for the table to be no higher than the top of the lower roll when the roll is depressed by a work piece of maximum thickness. Consequently in the arrangement of the illustrative machine no allowance for depression of the roll is necessary. This arrangement, together with the reduction of the required pressure, requires less effort on the part of the operator to insert the work piece between the rolls and consequently minimizes the risk of an operators lingers accidentally being pushed between the rolls.

For the purpose of assisting in guiding soles of which the heel end portions are considerably narrower than the forepart (e. g. soles for Louis Heel Shoes) so that the eventual stamping operation is performed approximately in the center of the width of the waist portion of each sole, each of two auxiliary guide fingers 143, 143 is carried by a lever 147 which is supported on a vertical pivot 149 carried by the forward end portion of one of the guides 137. The auxiliary guide iingers extend rearwardly from their pivots along the outside of the guides 137, and curve inwardly behind the guides. The lauxiliary fingers 143 are urged toward each other by springs 151, 151 stretched between the fingers and the guides 13'7. Threaded holes are provided in the levers to receive stop screws 154 the ends of which abut against the front of the table 133 and which can be adjusted to determine the width to which the auxiliary lingers are closed by the springs. Latches 155 pivoted on the guides can be placed by the operator in such a position that the auxiliary fingers cannot close in on the work piece, and can thus be put temporarily out of action. The guides 137 are adjusted by rotating the knob 140 so that the widest portion of the soles of a batch being operated upon can just pass between them. The auxiliary lingers are also adjusted by means of the .aforementioned adjusting screws 154 so that they close in only to the width of the heel end portions of these soles. The soles are then slid along the table, heel end first, between the guides, the heel end being centralized by the auxiliary iingers which are forced open against the springs by the forepart portion of the sole -as it passes therebetween upon being fed by the measuring rolls.

Requisite pressure for measuring and feeding the work piece is adjustably applied to the upper roll 1 by means of a spring 157 (Fig. 4) which surrounds a pressure rod 159 a lower rounded end of which is seated in a countersink in the yoke 53. The rod 159 has formed thereon a shoulder on which the lower end of the spring 157 rests. The upper end of the spring is enclosed in a hollow screw 161 threaded in a cover 163 iixed on the housing 93 and abuts against a shoulder in the bore, thus providing adjustment of the spring pressure. Stop screws 165, 157 are provided for the purpose of raising the upper measuring roll when adjustments are being made during the setting up of the machine and are shown in Fig. 4 holding the rolls apart. When the measuring rolls are not held apart by the screws 165, 167 the rolls are prevented from actual contact with each other by stop faces on the lowermos't portions of the bearings 51, 31, which engage similar stops on the bearings 9, 11 respectively.

For transferring the measurement of the thinnest portion of the work piece (as detected by the measuring mechanism hereinbefore described) to the stamping and evening mechanisms situated at the rear of the illustrative machine there is provided fluid-operated minimum thickness registering mechanism and iiuid-operated setting mechanism. These fluid-operated mechanisms are similar in part to that described in the above-mentioned Gouldbourn et al. Patent No. 2,338,283 but, in the present machine, etfect hydraulically the retention of the minimum thickness measurement detected by the measuring mechanism and delay the setting of the evening mechanism, as is necessary to allow one work piece to be split while a subsequent work piece is being measured.

Thickness registering mechanism The lower end portion of the downwardly extending arm of the aforementioned lever 125 has pivotally connected to it, by a pin 169 (Figs. l and 5) a forward end portion of a rearwardly extending rod 171 which passes through a hole in a block 173 (Figs. l and 18). The block is pivoted to a midportion of an upwardly and downwardly extending valve lever 175 and is supported for forward and rearward horizontal movement in a guideway 177 formed in a bracket 179 fixed to the machine frame 13. Between the block 173 and a shoulder formed on the forward end of the rod 171 is compressed a spring 181 which surrounds the rod and urges the block against a collar 183 pinned on the rear end of the rod. A laterally extending pin 185 fixed on the lower end of the valve lever 175 engages a vertical slot 187 formed in a block 189 fastened on a rod k191. The rod 191 has slides in a cylinder 194 xed to the frame 13.

The upper end of the valve lever 175 carries a laterally extending pin 195 which is received between two upward projections of a U-shaped end portion of a valve rod 197 (Fig. 5) of an auxiliary Valve of a hydraulic valve device 199. The valve rod 197 is Slidingly mounted in two bushings 201, 203 (Fig. 16) which are secured in the forward end portion of a bore extending axially through a main valve plunger 205 and closed at its rearward end by a plug screw 207. The plunger 205 is slidingly mounted in a valve chamber 209 in a bushing 211 secured in a valve bracket 213 (Figs. 1 and 5) xed to the machine frame 13. The adjacent ends of the two bushings 201, 203 (Fig. 16) are spaced apart so that a small chamber 215 is formed between them in the bore in the main valve plunger 205. The front bushing 201 which projects from the forward end of the valve plunger 205 has, formed along its outer surface, small grooves 217 along which uid can flow from the small chamber 215 and return to a fluid reservoir (not shown) in the base of the machine.

The auxiliary valve rod 197 has a portion 223 which is reduced in diameter and the length of this reduced portion is slightly less than the length of the rear bushing 203. The rear end portion of the valve rod projects from the bushing into the bore of the vmain valve plunger. The rear bushing 203 is provided with iiuid passages 225 which perforate the walls of the bushing and are in alinement with similar passages 227 provided in a reduced portion 229 of the main valve plunger 205. The passages 227 communicate with a chamber 231 between the outer surface of the reduced portion of the main valve plunger and the bore of the valve bracket bushing 211. A forward end portion of this chamber 231 is provided by a n' recess in a cap 233 secured to the front end face of the valve bracket bushing 211, which cap is bored to enable the reduced portion of the main valve plunger to slide therein. The rear wall of the chamber 231 is constituted by a shoulder formed on the main valve plunger 205 at the rear end of the reduced portion 229.

The main valve plunger has three other reduced portions 235 which in conjunction with four flanges 237, which slidingly fit the bore of the bushing 211 and which are spaced apart along the plunger, and with the bore of the bushing 211 bound three chambers 239, 241, 243 into which iiuid can flow. The center chamber 241 is connected by a pipe 245 (Fig. 18) to a fluid supply comprising a pump 247 ,which pumps fluid from the aforementioned luid reservoir under pressure to the center chamber and thence through openings 249 in the main valve plunger into the bore of the plunger. The chambers'239, 243 (Fig. 16) at each side of the center chamber are connected to exhaust passages 251, 253, respectively, in the bushing 211, both of which passages are connected by a pipe 255 (Fig. 18) with the fluid reservoir (not shown).

The rearward end of the plunger 205 (Fig. 16) is engaged by one end of a compression spring 257 housed in a cap 259 secured on the rear end of the bushing 211. The other end of the compression spring 257 is engaged by a disk 261 which in turn is engaged by an end of an adjusting screw 263 threaded in the cap coaxially with the valve plunger. The cap 259 has in it passages 265 through which any uid which may leak past the rear end portion of the valve plunger can return to the reservoir.

The bore of the bushing 211 has, leading from it and extending downwardly, fluid passages 267, 269 (Fig. 18), which connect the bore with the cylinder 19el in which the piston 193 slides, as stated above. The openings of the passages into the cylinder are arranged one near each end of the cylinder so that the Passage 267 can supply iluid in front of the piston 193, and the passage 269 can supplyiiuidbehind the piston, according to the position of the main valve plunger 205 in the bushing 211. The ports throughl which thepassages 267, 269 enter the bore 'of the valve chamber are opened and closed by the anges 237 of the valve plunger, these anges being just long enough to close the ports. When the valve plunger 205 is in its mid position bo ports for the passages 267, 269 are closed, while if -the` plunger is moved forwardly or rearwardly the ports are selectively uncovered to allow uid under pressure to act upon. the rear or front side, respectively, of the pistoni 193 and duid from the front or rear end, respectively, of the cylinder 194 to exhaust to the reservoir.

rfhe piston rod 191 is slidingly supported, near its forward end, in a bearing 271 (Fig. 1) carried byfthef yframe 13 of the machine and has secured to it, rearwardly` of the bearing, the aforementioned block 189 carrying a ratchet 273 (Fig. 11) presenting upwardly directed ratchet teeth the pitch of which corresponds with a movement of the upper measuring roll of half an iron (0104"). The teeth are engaged by two spring-loaded pawls 275,`

2'77 (normally latched out of operative relation to the ratchet) each having a plurality of teeth and so arranged, as hereinafter described in greater detail, that when one pawl is fully engaging the teeth of the ratchet, the other pawl is `approximately midway-between -the teeth. The teeth are so arranged that the ratchet and rod 191 can move rearwardly -but are prevented by one or other of the pawls 275, 277 from moving forwardly vwhen the pawls are operating. f

When a work piece is passed between the measuringv rolls 1, 3 the upper roll rises or falls in response to variation in the thickness of the work piece. These movements, through the measuring mechanism and the mechanism last described Vcause corresponding forward or rearward movements of the ratchet until such .time "as the pawls 275, 277 are released for movement into engagement with the ratchet, as hereinafter described.'

Thereafter, during the measurement of that work piece, the ratchet is held lby one or the other of Ithe pawls against forward movement and oan only move rearwardly as any thinner portion of the work piece is measured.

When the thickness of -the thinnest portion of the .workl` piece will have thus been registered the pawls areagain raised out of engagement with the ratchet, at fan ap-l propriate time in the cycle of the machine, as herein-l after described. f

Setting mechanism for evening mechanism Y y ing under-the control ofthe mi ing means described above. l

The block i189 (Fig. 18) is provi-ded with a vertical slot 189a arranged to receive a key 190 (Fig. 1) pivoted um thickness registeron the upper end of a downwardly extending arm'279 (Figs. l and 18) which is pivoted at its lower end on' a pin 281 carried Iby the machine frame. The arm has pivotally connected -to it, at 282, a rearwardly extending -rod 283 surrounded by a compression spring 285, and

the rearward end of the rod is pivotally connected'to` a valve lever 287 -by means 'of a swivel block 288. The

lower end of the` valve lever 287 operates a hydraulicl valve device 289, which is similar to the aforementioned? valve device 199, and engages the forward vertical face of a rectangular head on a valve stem 291 of the device 289. The valve stem 291 is prevented from turningby a pin 292 (Fig. 1) fixed in the head and sliding in a hole in a valve cap 293. The bore of the valve device 289 is connected by upwardly extending. fluid passages 294, 294a (Fig. 18,) through la cut-olf valve 295'` to a horizontally extending cylinder 297 in which* is,V slidably mounted a piston 299 formed'n a'forwardly 9 and rearwardly extending rod 301. The rod 301 operates mechanism for setting the evening mechanism to be described later. A block 303 is fixed on the forward end of the rod 301 and has formed in it la vertical slot 305 which receives a laterally projecting pin 307 fixed `in the upper end of the valve lever 287.

The arrangement is such that as the ratchet 273 is moved, as hereinbefore described, in accordance With the thickness of a work piece passing between the measuring rolls, the arm 279 swings about its pivot 281 causing the lever 287 to -be swung about the pivot 307. if the arm 279 moves forwardly, the lever 287 is also swung forwardly, so that its lower end is moved away yfrom the valve stem 291, and the valve stem is moved forwardly by a spring 30S at its rear end so that fluid is supplied (via the cut-off valve when open) through the passage 2.94ct to the rear end of ythe cylinder 297. Thus, the piston 299 and rod 301 are moved lforwardly and the lever 287 is swung upon the swivel block 288 until the lower end of the lever bearing .against the valve stem 291 moves it rearwardly enough to close the valve. If the arm 279 swings rearwardly, causing the valve lever 287 to swing -rear-wardly about its pivot 307 and to press against the valve stem 291, the Ivalve stem is moved rearwardly and fluid is supplied (via the cut-off valve when open) through the passage 294 to the forward end of the cylinder 297, forcing the piston 299 and lrod 301 rearwardly. By such movement of 4the rod 301 the lever 287 is swung clockwise about the swivel block 288 until the valve stern 291 is returned to its closed position under the influence of the spring 308. In this way, an amount of movement, corresponding to the movement of the upper measuring roll, is imparted to the rod 301 which, as is hereinafter described, causes the evening mechanism to be set.

It is for the purpose of delaying the setting lof the evening mechanism until the previous work piece is clear of the evening mechanism that the above-men tioned cut-off valve 295 is interposed in the passages 294, 294a which convey the fluid from Ithe valve 289 to the cylinder 297. The `cut-off valve comprises a cylinder 309 having a pair of ports 310, 310 for the pass- Iage 294a and a second pair of ports 310a, 310a for the passage 294. These ports are so positioned with respect to a valve member 311, `arranged to slide in the cylinder and having two reduced portions, ythat the valve member can, in `one position (i. e. when the reduced portions are `opposite the ports), open the passages, respectively connec-ting .them and, in another position, close the passages. The valve 311 is urged into its closed position by a spring 312 compressed between the forward ends of the cylinder and valve. At `au appropriate time `during the measuring period in the cycle of the machine the valve is moved forwardly, to connect the said passages, by `a `two-armed lever 313 (Fig. 1) in the upper arm of which is an adjustable abutment 315 which engages the rear end of the Valve member 3111. The lever 313 is fixed on a shaft 317 journaled in the frame 13. The valve can also be manually opened if desired, when adjusting the machine, by a stud (not shown) having an eccentric projection and journaled in a bearing formed in the cylinder casting, which eccentric portion, when the stud is turned in the bearing, moves the valve into its open position. Mechanism for operating the lever 313 will be described later.

The aforesaid rod 301 has formed on its rearward end portion a rack 321 (Figs. 1 and 18) which meshes with a gear segment 323 fixed on the lower end of a vertical shaft 325 journaled in bearings formed on the right-hand rearward portion of the frame 13. Pinned on the upper end of the shaft 325 is a second gear segment 327 which meshes with one of two pinions 329 (Figs. 3, 8 and 9) fixed on lower end portions of relatively short vertical shafts 331 journaled in bores 333 in a bracket 335 fixed on the rear end portion of the frame 13. A reduced portion of each shaft 331 is also journaled in a bushing 337 which is threaded for height-wise adjustment in the bracket 335. Each shaft 331 is prevented from movement endwise in its bushing 337 by a collor pinned on its upper end, while a handle nut 339 serves to lock the threaded bushing 337 in position in the bracket 335. Fixed by a nut on a reduced lower end portion of each shaft 331 is a square threaded screw 341 which engages a nut 343 rotatably mounted in a recess in a stop block 345 which can slide vertically in a guideway in the frame 13.

To the nuts 343 are attached flanges formed on gears 347 which mesh with racks 349 formed on a bar 351 which is mounted for horizontal transverse movement in a slideway in the bracket 335 and is spring biased toward the left of the machine. The parts referred to above as 329 to 349, inclusive, occur in duplicate on the right and left-hand sides of the machine and are identified by the same reference characters.

A bar 353 having a rack formed on each end portion is also slidably mounted in the bracket 335 for horizontal transverse movement and meshes with the two pinions 329 fixed on the vertical shafts 331. By this means movement imparted to the vertical shaft 325 (Fig. l) by the rack 321 is transferred to both vertical shafts 331, causing identical movement of both screws 341. The two nuts 343 are, during the normal operation of the machine, restrained from rotation by the spring biased rack bar 351 (Figs. 9 and l0). By individual adjustment of the threaded bushings 337 (Fig. 8) the stop blocks 345 are initially set to insure that the upper gage roll 355 will be supported parallel to the knife 359.

The stop blocks 345 (Figs. 1 and 8) rest upon bearing blocks 354 in which end portions of the upper gage roll 355 are journaled. This roll and the serrated lower roll 357 feed the work piece against the edge of the splitting knife 359 clamped on the frame 13 immediately behind the rolls (Fig. 7). The bearing blocks 354 are guided for upward and downward inclined movement by guide plates 361, 363 (Fig. l) attached to the frame 13, and are urged upwardly by levers 365, the forward end portions of which engage rolls 367 journaled on pins carried by the bearing blocks. The levers 365 are pivoted on pins 369 fixed in the plates 361, 363 and rearwardly extending portions of the said levers are connected by tension springs 371 to the frame 13. Thus, the bearing blocks 354 and the blocks 345 are urged upwardly, the blocks 345 being held against the lower faces of the flanges of the gears 347. The roll 355 thus follows the upward and downward movements of the nuts 343 caused by the rotations of screws 341.

End portions of the lower roll 357 are journaled in bearing blocks 373 which are mounted for heightwise movement in slideways 375 in the side portions of the frame 13 and which are attached to end portions of a yoke 377. The right-hand end portion of the roll 357 is extended to carry a gear 374 secured thereto, which engages a pinion 376 secured on the right-hand end portion of the main driving shaft 17. The yoke is provided with two projections which locate upper ends of two compression springs 379, the lower ends of which are located on upward projections carried by the frame 13. Upward movement of the roll 357, caused by the pressure of the springs 379, is adjustably limited by two rods 381 which are pivotally connected to the yoke 377. The rods 381 pass through holes provided in lugs on the frame 13 and are threaded at their lower ends to receive nuts and locknuts by means of which upward movement of the roll 357 is limited. The lower roll 357 and bearing assembly is located laterally by flanges 383 (Fig. 8) provided on the bearing blocks 373, which flanges engage inner faces provided on the frame 13 adjacent to the slideways 375. The flanges are arcuately shaped so that the roll can tilt when in engagement with an uneven work piece and still be correctly located laterally.

The upward movement of the roll 357 is preferably l So limited by adjustment of the rods 381 that when the uppergage roll 355 is in a position corresponding to a measurement of O irons the peripheries of the two rolls just fail to engage each other. The arrangement is therefore such that the upper roll 355 is positioned relatively to the knife edge as determined by the registering means and the lower roll 357 yields downwardly against the pressure of the springs 379 in accordance with the thickness of the work piece in the bite of the rolls. This measured thickness, which is also the final thickness of the work piece after being operated upon, is indicated by a pointer 332 (Figs. l and 3) fixed to the top of the shaft 325, graduations in irons being provided on an adjacent dial. It will be noted that by means of the mechanism described the stop blocks 345, for positioning the upper gage roll 355, are adjusted from one setting to another directly, in contrast to machines in general use in which the stops are moved to a maximum setting before being reset each time a work piece is operated upon. lt will also be realized that wear of moving parts is thereby reduced, as is also the time necessary for effecting the new setting. It will also be noted that the upper gage roll is always held in its uppermost position by the levers 365 before the work piece enters the bite of the rolls, whereby nipping of the leading edge of the work piece is avoided.

To prevent leather scrap from becoming attached to the lower splitting roll 357 a number of stripper blades 384 (Figs. 7 and 8) are attached to the yoke 377 and project into narrow grooves in the periphery of the roll.

For the purpose of adjusting the evening mechanism to insure splitting to correct thickness after sharpening the knife, or when operating on work pieces of unusual texture, arms 386 (Figs. l, 2, 3 and 8) are adjustably secured to the aforementioned threaded bushings 337 and are coupled together by a connecting bar 386 to provide simultaneous movement, when required, of the bushings 337.

If, therefore, the finished thickness of a work piece should differ appreciably from thickness represented by the number stamped thereon, the evening mechanism can be corrected, after loosening the handle nuts 339, by moving the bar 385 one way or the other according to whether the finished thickness is greater or smaller than the stamped thickness, to lower or raise the upper gage roll slightly by turning the bushings 337, without aifecting any other mechanisms. After making the required adjustment the handle nuts are again tightened to prevent accidental movement.

Work transferring mechanism For the purpose of transferring the work pieces from the measuring rolls to the splitting rolls, the illustrative machine is provided with two parallel endless roller chains 23, (Figs. 4, 6 and 7) spaced about one inch apart, the work engaging runs of the chain extending horizontally from the front to the rear of the machine. The links of each chain have formed on them teeth which, where the chain runs horizontally, project upwardly from the upper edge and downwardly from the lower edge. The upwardly projecting teeth engage and drive the work piece, while the second set of teeth permit the chains to be reversed, and thus to have a second life The chains are received in two grooves 19, 21 provided in the periphery of the lower measuring roll 3, and are supported on ridges formed on the roll in the center of the grooves whereby clearance between the roll and the teeth on the chains is provided. Grooves of a similar cross section are provided in a plate 385 (Fig. 7) bridging the frame 13 to support the chains between lthe lower measuring roll 3 and a roll 387, also having grooves of similar cross section, from which latter roll the paths of the chains turn downwardly and forwardly to sprockets 389 by which the chains are driven. The circuits of the chains are completed as they pass forwardly again to the lower measuring roll. The passing of the chains around the measuring roll eliminates a gap between the measuring roll and a separatechain sup-Vv porting roll usually employed'in machines of this type,=

which has hitherto limited the smallness of work pieces which could be operated upon. The sprockets 389 are' attached to a spindle 391 journaled in the frame 13 Vand driven by a gear 393 fixed to the spindle and meshing with,v gear teeth 395 formed on the driving shaft 17'.A

Slacknessl of the chains 23, 25 may be prevented by means of chain adjusting devices, each comprising artwoarmed lever 397 freely mounted on a spindle V399 fixed in the frame 13. Each lever carries on a rearwardly extending arm a freely rotatable roll 401 having formed therein a chain receiving groove of the cross section above described. A forwardly and upwardly extending arm of each lever 397 has 'threaded in it an adjusting screw 463,3 which engages a depending abutment 405 on the plate 385. abutment causes the roll 401 to engage the chain and eliminate slackness, the screw then being locked in posi-- tion by a locknut.

To facilitate the feeding of small work pieces through the space between the chains 23, 25 and the splitting rolls 355, 357, where the work is stamped, there are two ser-l rated rolls 407 xed to a horizontal shaft 409 journaled in the frame 13, the position of the rolls being such that the upper portions of their peripheries engage the work. The shaft 409 is driven by a train of gears shown in Fig. 2 as 411, 413, 415, 417, 419 from the main driving shaft 17. To assist the feeding of the work piece by the chains 23, 25 and the two rolls 407 the work piece is pressed downwardly against the chains and rolls by two trains of rollers 421 (Figs. 3 and 7), one over each chain. Each train of rollers is supported between a pair of bars 423 the rollers being journaled on pins 425 which are supported at their ends in the bars. Each pair of bars is pivotally connected, near its ends, to the lower ends of upwardly extending rods 427 which extend upwardly to pass through forward and rearward presser yokes 429,

431 in which compression springs 433 surround reduced portions of the rods and exert a downward pressureV against shoulders on the rods, and ultimately onthe 445. The forward yoke 429 is fixed to the aforemenf tioned housing 93 while the rearward yoke is carried by` the aforementioned bracket 335. Formed on the upper" portion of both yokes are forwardly extending bosses,

holes in which provide front and rear bearings for a pressure regulating spindle 447 to which is iixed a hand wheel 44?.. rearward cam members 449, 451 which are located between the upper and lower cross-bars in each yoke. The cam members have a number of peripheral faces at different distances from the axis of the spindle so that` by turning the hand-wheel to various positions, the lower cross-bars are pushed downward to compress the springsvv to a greater or less degree, and thus vary the pressure of the rollers 421 on the work piece to suit the texture thereof, while yet another position of the spindle 44'7 raises the upper cross-bars and lifts the rollers clear of the work piece as shown in Fig. 7. Each pair of bars 423 has fixed between them, at their rearward end, rearwardly and outwardly extending presser plates 452 which press the work piece onto the rolls 407. These plates lieiiat upon the work piece and are beveled to a thin edge on their inner sides so as to avoid interference with stamping mechanisms hereinafter referred to.

Adjustment of the screw against the;

Attached to the spindle are forward andv 13 Situated between the chains 23 and 25, a toothed wheel 450 is provided which engages the lower surface of the work piece and is rotated thereby. Coupled to a suitable revolution counter (not shown), it serves to indicate the cumulative length of work pieces operated upon.

Mechanism for starting minimum thickness registering When the thickness measurement registering of a work piece is to be commenced, the normally latched pawls 275 (Fig. ll) 277 are released for movement into engagement with the ratchet 273. For this purpose the illustrative machine is provided with a shoe 453 (Figs. 5, 6 and 7), which is lifted by and thereafter rides on the work piece as it passes from the measuring rolls to the splitting rolls. The shoe is mounted for adjustment along a rod 455 and is provided with a spring catch 457 arranged to enter any one of a row of holes 459 in the rod 455. The rod 455 is iixed in a rearwardly extending carrier 460 xed on a shaft 462 journaled in the housing 93, to which shaft is secured a downwardly extending arm 461. The arm 461 (Figs. 5 and l) has pivoted to its lower end a finger 463 which is biased downwardly by a spring plunger 465 carried by the arm 461, the finger carrying at its rear end a atted pin 467. The finger 463 lies in a slot in a block 469 supported on a stem which is adjustably mounted in the aforementioned bracket 179. A pair of latches 471 pivoted one to each of the pawls 275, 277 normally hold the pawls out of engagement with the rack 273 by latching over the rearward upper corner of the block 469. As soon as a work piece, emerging from the measuring rolls 1, 3, lifts the shoe 453 the arm 461 moves rearwardly about its pivot 462 and causes the pin 467, carried by the iinger 463, to push the latches 471 off the edge of the block 469 against the pressure of two spring plungers 473 provided in the bracket 179. Thus, the spring-biased pawls 275, 277 are permitted to engage the rack 273 at a time in the measuring operation related to the distance between the measuring rolls and the shoe 453, and it is evident that as the shoe 453 is adjusted further from the measuring rolls, a greater portion of the work piece is unmeasured.

-It will be evident also that the mechanism just described will allow the measurement registering of the Work piece -to commence no earlier than at a distance from the leading end approximately equal to the radius of the upper measuring roll, as the work piece will have moved at least that distance before raising the shoe 453.

To enable the measurement of the work piece to commence substantially at the leading end of the work piece, an auxiliary shoe 475 (Figs. 6 and 7) is provided which is situated in a rearward portion of the above-mentioned groove 59 formed in the periphery of the upper measuring roll 1. The shoe 475 is substantially semiannular in shape with an angular Work engaging face 477 which extends into the bite of the measuring rolls, and is suspended on a pin 479 mounted in a block 481, fixed on the yoke 53. The shoe 475 is further supported by a lug formed on its rearward portion in which is secured a pin 482, a projecting portion of which carries a roll which runs in a slot in a depending portion of a member 483. The member 483 is freely mounted on the shaft 462. A lug 485 on the member 483 abuts against a projection on the housing 93 to limit the movement of the shoe 475 toward the roll 1. A rearwardly extending finger 487, also formed on the member 483 lies under a pin 489 driven in the shoe 453, when the shoe 453 is in its foremost position. Thus, when the shoe 475 is raised by the leading end of the Work as it emerges from the bite of the rolls, the shoe 453 is raised and the latches 471 and pawls 275, 277 are released as described above. When the shoe 453 is adjusted rearwardly on the rod 459, the members 475, 479, 483, although raised by the work piece, are ineffectual to start the measurement registering action. However, when it is desired to commence the Cil 14 registering action substantially at the leading edge of the work piece, the shoe 453 is adjusted into its foremost position to Vcause the auxiliary shoe 475 and its associated parts to become effective.

Mechanism for terminating minimum thickness registering It is obviously necessary to end the registering action before the work piece leaves the measuring rolls, for should the measuring rolls close before the registering action terminates the work piece would be eventually split to the arbitrary minimum regardless of the thickness of its thinnest portion as measured by the machine. It is lfrequently the practice to end the measuring operation at about one and a half inches in advance of the trailing end of the work piece. For this purpose, the illustrative machine is provided with a gate 491 (Figs. 5 and 6) which automatically drops on the work piece, as soon as the upper measuring roll 1 is raised, and rides along the work piece until its trailing end leaves the gate. The gate then drops or snaps onto the table and ends the measurement registering operation.

The gate 491, as shown in Fig. 6 in its raised position, comprises a steel strip of approximately the Width of the narrowest work piece the machine is designed to operate upon and having a work engaging face angled to facilitate its riding upon the work piece. The gate is slidably mounted for heightwise movement in a slideway provided in ya carrier 493. The carrier is pivotally mounted on two coaxial pins 495 carried 'by the housing 93 and is arranged to be swung about this axis for varying the distance of the gate from the measuring rolls 1, 3 by means of a threaded rod 497 pivotally connected at 498 to an arm projecting upwardly from the carrier 493. The rod 497 passes through a rearward wall of the housing 93 to receive an adjusting nut 499 by means of which the arm of the carrier is pulled rearwardly against the pressure of a spring (not shown) which surrounds the rod 497 and which is housed in a sleeve 501 which limits the movement of the gate away from the measuring rolls.

The gate 491 is connected by means of a link 503 to an arm 505 fixed to a transverse shaft 507 journaled in the side walls of the housing 93. Also secured to the shaft 507 is a two-armed lever 509, a rearwardly extending arm of which is spring-biased upwardly and has adjustably secured therein a catch-block 511. The catchblock is in engagement with a latch-bar 513 which is pivoted at its lower end to one end of a supporting link 515., the other end of which is pivoted to the frame 13. Pivoted also to the supporting link 515 is a depending arm 517 having on a lower end portion thereof a cam face 519. Downward movement of the arm 517, and

consequently of the latch-bar 513, is limited by a stopblock 521 attached to the frame 13. When Work is first presented to the machine the gate is maintained in raised position by the engagement of a spring latch 523, carried by a depending arm of the lever 509 (Figs. 2 and 6), with the forward end of a rearwardly extend'- ing bar 525. The rearward end of this bar is pivotally connected to a depending arm 528 of a cam follower lever 527 (Figs. 2 and 3) pivoted on the bracket 335, another arm of which cam follower lever carries a cam roll which follows a cam groove in a main cam 529. The bar 525 is urged downwardly about its pivot by a spring (not shown) and is supported somewhat rearwardly of its forward end by a roller 530 journaled on a pin carried by a vertically disposed bar 531. The bar 531 is pivotally suspended from an arm of a laterally disposed lever 533 (Fig. 4) fulcrumed on a pin 535 fixed in the housing 93. An oppositely disposed arm of the lever 533 engages a pin 537 fixed in the yoke 53. Upward movement of the upper measuring roll 1, therefore, through the members 53, 537, 533, 531 and 525 causes'the lever 509 to be unlatched and allows the gate 491 to fall. However, as the roll 1 yand yoke 53 are lifted by a Work piece,

the gate 'falls not Vto the level of the table but'on the work piece, where itV remains until the work piece lets it drop onto the table. As the gate descends onto; the work piece the lever 509 moves until the catch-block 511 almost engages a shoulder538 on the latch-bar 513, and is therefore in such a position that further movement of the gate downwardly will cause the latch-bar to be lifted bodily. When the gate drops or Snaps E the-work piece and the latch-bar 513 is lifted,.the cam armV 517, being pivoted to the same supporting link (viz. 515) is also lifted, causing the cam face 519 to engage a roller 539 carried by an 'arm 541 secured to a-shaft 543 which is journaled in the side portions Yof the frame 13. If the cam arm 517 is prevented from swinging forwardly by a selector member 545 (which dependingv upon its position, as later explained, may or may not be in contact with the front face of the cam arm) movement will be imparted to the shaft 543 causing a lever 547 (Figs. and 1S) on the opposife end of the shaft to move the valve stern 197 and the valve lever 175 forwardly compressing the spring 181. This causes a forward pressure to be applied to the ratchet 273 thus locking it against one of the pawls 275, 277 and thus terminating the measurement registering operation. Further heightwise movement of the upper measuring roll merely causes idle movement of the valve operating rod 171 (Figs. l and 18) through the swivel block 173. t

lt is evident from Fig. 6, which shows the gate 491 in its raised position, that the gate cannot be adjusted very near to the plane of the axes of the measuring rolls and therefore drops from the trailing end of the work' piece to terminate the measurement registering action well before the trailing end arrives at the bite of the rolls.

The illustrative machine, however, is provided with alternative means for terminating the registering operation, which means allows the work piece to be measured right to its trailing end. The said means comprises a second auxiliary shoe 549 (Figs. 6 and 7) which lies within the groove 59 of the upper measuring roll 1 on the forward side of the axis and is arcuate in shape. The shoe 549 has formed thereon an upwardly extending bar 551, in which is provided a slot S53 by which the shoe is guided for heightwise movement on a stud 555 secured in a block 557 carried by the yoke 53. The bar 551 is pivoted at its upper end to an arm 559 (Figs. 6 and V4) secured on a horizontal shaft S61 journaled in the housing 93. Also secured to the shaft 561 is a two-armed lever 563 (Figs. 6 and 2) a rearwardly extending arm of which is biased upwardly by a spring 564 attached to the other arm and has adjustably secured therein a catch-block 565. The upward movement of the said arm is adjustably limited by a stop screw S66 in the housing cover 163. The catch-block is in engagement with a latchbar 567 which is pivoted at its lower end to one end of a supporting link 569, the other end of which supporting link is pivoted to the frame 13. Pivoted also to the supporting link 569 is a depending arm 571, similar to and adjacent to the aforementioned arm 517 having on its lower end portion, a cam face 573 similar to the cam face 519. Downward movement of the arm 571, and consequent bodily downward movement of the latch-bar 567, is limited by the aforementioned stop-blcck 521. When a work piece is about 'to be presented between the measuring rolls, the shoe 549 is in the position shown in Fig. 6, the lever 563 being in engagement with the stop screw 565. T he work piece on being inserted raises the upper roll 1 and the shoe 549,v causing the catch-block 565 to descend below a shoulder 574 formed on the latch-bar 57 and allowing the shoulder ofthe latch-bar, which is springbiased toward the block as hereinafter described, to move over the block so as to be in a position to be engaged thereby. `When the trailing end of the work piece reaches the bite of the rolls the Shoe 549, under the force of the spring 564, drops or snaps oif the work piece, the lever 563 reengaging the stop screw 566, and raising the latch-bar 567. The cam arm V571, being suspended on the same supporting link 569 is also lifted and the cam face 573 thereon is brought into position to engage the aforementioned roller 539. Thus, the ratchet 273 is locked against further movement.

It will be realized that the cam arms 517, 571 cannot cause movement of the arrn 541 unless they are supported at their forward sides against the roller 539. It will also be realized that as both mechanisms for terminating the measuring operation engage the roller 539 and as both operate at different periods in the passage of the work piece between the measuring rolls, it is necessary to provide for the desired selective use of the two mechanisms. For this purpose, the selector member 545 aforementioned, comprises a shaft 575 (Figs. 5, 6 and 1) journaled in the side portions of the frame 13. Secured to the shaft are two eccentrics 577,579 radially opposed and adjacently positioned axially so that eccentric 577 Ycan engage the cam arm 517, when the shaft 575 is in one position, and that the other eccentric 579 can engage the cam arm 571 when the shaft is turned through 180".` A knob 581 (Figs. 1 and 3) for the purpose of turning the changeover member 545 isV secured on the shaft 575 outside of the machine frame 13 and is marked to indicate which mechanism is in operation. The provision of the two auxiliary shoes l4:75 and 549 above referred to and their associated mechanisms enable the illustrative machine to operate upon small work pieces such as heel lifts and the facility provided for putting the mechanisms Selectively into or out of action, at will, provides ready adjustment of themachine to cater for work pieces of widely differing lengths. i u' For the purpose of returning the registering terminating mechanisms laterally described to the condition necessary to allow introduction of another work piece into the machine, the latch-bars 513 and 567 are pivotally connected to two connecting rods 583 by means of swivel blocks 585 through which the connecting rods can slide. Y The rods 583 are pivotally connected at their rearward ends to a short depending arm 586 of the cam follower lever 527 (Fig. 2). The forward end portions of the rods are threaded to receive nuts by which the effective lengths of the rods are adjusted. Springs 587 surround the rods: and are lightly compressed between the rearward faces of the swivel blocks and shoulders, formed on the rods.

At an appropriate time in the cycle of the `machine, when the work piece has been conveyed from the measuring rolls but shortly before the work piece reaches the evening mechanism, the depending arms of thev cam follower lever 527 are caused by the cam 529 to swing rearwardly, retracting the `latch-bars 513 and 567 out of engagement with the catch-blocks 511 and 565, respectively, and allowing the latch-bars 513 and 567 vtotlnove bodily downwardly until stopped by the block 521.v This allows the arm 541, under the influence of the spring 181, to return to .itsnoriginal position and the valve lever again to operate the valve rod 197 rearwardly to cause the forward pressure on the ratchet 273 to be removed so that the pawls 275, 277 are free to be disengaged from the ratchet, as later described. When the latch-bar 567 is retracted from the catch-block A5,65, lthe measurement terminating shoe S49 is returned, under the iniluence of the spring 564, to its lowermost position forfengagement with the next work piece to be operated upon. Y

When the work piece has passed through themeasuring rolls the upper measuring roll 1 moves downwardlyand causes the bar 531 (Fig. 2) and the roller 530 thereony to move upwardly, raising the bar 5,25. The ,bar525 de-` presses the spring latch 523 inthe depending arm of the lever 569 which arm will have Ybeen moved rearwardly when the gate 491 dropped oit the trailing edge of the work piece. As the arm 528 of the cam follower lever 527 moves rearwardly and the end of the bar 525 recedes 17 beyond the spring latch 523, the latter projects across the end of the bar 525. Thus, when the bar moves forwardly, it moves the lever 509 i-n an anticlockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 6, and causes the arm 505 to raise the gate 491.

At the time when the depending arm 52S of they cam follower lever 527 moves rearwardly, as stated above, a pull-rod 589 also pivoted to the arm 528 moves an arm 591, which it adjustably engages, in an anticlockwise direction as seen in Fig. 2. The arm 591 is secured to an end portion of a shaft 593 which passes through the frame 13 a-nd carries in its opposite end a two-armed lever 595 (Fig. 1) secured thereto. A rearwardly extending arm of this lever carries an adjustable abutment 597 which engages and depresses the forward ends of the pawls 275, 277 to disengage them from the rack 273, in readiness for the presentation to the machine of the next work piece. The pawls are now latched in their raised positions by the latches 471 hooked over the rearward upper corner of the block 469. The lever 595 is ynormally spring-biased in an anticlockwise 4direction (Fig. 1) against a stop face provided on the bearing 271.

Clutch actuating mechanism As already stated, the raising of the gate 491, the disengagement of the pawls 275, 27 7 from the ratchet 273, the actuation of the setting mechanism for the evening mechanism and the stamping operation are not dependent, as for their timing, upon the work feeding action of the measuring rolls. The timing of these events is determined by the actuation of a clutch tripping mechanism by the work piece as it raises a foot 599 (Fig. 7) when passing thereunder before arriving at the stamping mechanism S. The foot 599 is adjustably clamped (for a purpose hereinafter explained) to a bar 601 which is attached at its forward end to a carrier 603 (Fig. 2) fixed on a shaft 605. The shaft 605 is journaled in the frame 13 and has xed to its left-hand end an arm 607, which has pivotally co-nnected to its rearward end a trip linger 609. A springbiased plunger 611 housed in the arm 607 urges the trip finger in an anticlockwise direction (Fig. 2). A trip plate 613 is attached to the finger 609 and engages a plate 615 fixed to a lever 617 pivoted on the bracket 335 and spring-biased in a clockwise direction, which lever disengages a clutch-dog 619 at the appropriate time. The clutch-dog 619 (Fig. 8) which is in the form of a gear having peripheral teeth in sliding and driving engagement with peripheral teeth of the cam 529, and having clutch teeth formed radially on one face, is rotatably mounted on a stud 621 xed in the frame 13. A spring 623 surrounds the stud and urges the clutch-dog 619 to the left so that the radial teeth thereon engage complementary teeth formed on an adjacent face of another gear 625 also freely mounted on the stud 621 and meshing with a constantly rotating gear 626 (Fig. 2) attached to the driving shaft 17. Until the foot 599 is raised by the work piece the clutch-dog 619 is retained, against the action of the spring 623, out of engagement with the gear 625 by a head 627 of a spring-biased plunger carried by a downwardly extending arm of the lever 617, which head 627 engages a spiral cam face 629 (Fig. 8) formed on the clutch-dog 619. As the dog rotates, the head 627 forces it to the right against the action of the spring 623 out of engagement with the gear 625, the rotation of the dog 619 on the stud being arrested by engagement of the end face of the head 627 against a stop face 631 on the dog 619. lt will thus be understood that, as the foot 599 is raised by a work piece passing thereunder, the trip finger 609 is caused to move upwardly to swing the lever 617 about its pivot and disengage the head 627 of the plunger from the clutch-dog 619. The dog is then moved by the spring 623 ,into engagement with the moving gear 625 and the movement of the cam 529 commences.

The gear 625, which drives the clutch-dog, makes three complete revolutions to one revolution of the main cam 529. To maintain the clutch engaged long enough to insure a complete revolution of the cam 529, even though a short work piece is being operated upon, the lever 617 (Fig. 2) is temporarily held .in such a position that the plunger head 627 cannot engage the clutch-dog, by means of a pin 633 carried by one arm of a bell crank lever 6.35 pivoted in the bracket 335. The other arm of the bell crank lever carries a cam follower roll 637 which engages a. suitably shaped track on the main cam.

In order to allow the lever 617 to move into such a position that the plunger head 627 can engage the cam face 629 although the work piece may not have been conveyed quite beyond the foot 599 and has consequently not yet allowed it to fall, the trip linger 609 must be swung suiciently forward, against the thrust of the plunger 611, to carry the trip plate 613 out of the way of the plate 615. This is achieved, in the illustrative machine, by providing a lever 639 pivoted at approximately its center on the same pivot as that for the cam follower lever 527. A forwardly extending arm of the lever 639 carries a roller 641 which, when the lever is moved in a clockwise direction (as seen in Fig. 2) by the engagement of a pin 643 carried by the cam 529 with a rearwardly extending arm 639:1 of the lever 639, engages an angular face 644 provided on the upper end of the linger 609. Thus, the linger is swung forwardly so that the plate 613 does not impede downward movement of the plate 615 as the lever 617 .is returned to its clutch disengaging position by a spring (not shown).

The adjustment of the clutch actuating foot 599 (Fig. 7) provides a means for avoiding a Waste of time when operating on small work pieces. As has already been stated, the gate 491 drops when a work piece has passed from thereunder and remains in its lowerrnost position to prevent another work piece from being inserted between the measuring rolls until the measurement has been transferred to the mechanisms which further deal with the work piece, the lifting of the gate being brought about by the cam 529 after actuation by the foot 599. When a short work piece has passed clear of the measuring rolls and the measurement is completed, there will obviously be an appreciable period of lost time before its leading edge reaches the foot 599 and before the gate will be lifted to admit another work piece, if the foot still remains in the position required for a full length sole. By moving the foot 599 forward along the bar 601, when small work pieces are being operated upon, the clutch is tripped earlier and, consequently, the gate opens to allow another work piece to be introduced with less wastage of time. This enables smal-l work pieces to be introduced at more frequent intervals and speeds up the output of the machine.

Proximatng mechanism For the purpose of deciding which half iron size is the nearer to the minimum measured thick-ness as when, for example, the thinnest portion of a work piece measures between four and four and a half irons, the illustrative machine is provided with a proximating mechanism which includes the aforementioned ratchet 273 and pawls 275 and 277. The pawl 275 (Figs. ll and l2) is'pivoted at approximately the center of its length `on a pin 645 fixed in the frame 13. The other pawl 277 is pivoted on an eccentric pin 647 carried by an arm 649 pivoted at its upper end on a stud 651- which also is fixed in the frame 13 just above the pin 645. The arm 649 is urged forwardly by a spring 652 (Fig.` l) and is provided Ywith a flange 653 (Figs. l, ll and l2) which is calibrated to represent a movement of the eccentric 647 which, within a range of movement limited by a pin 655 abutting against a cut away ange of the eccentric, allows an adjustment of the pawl 277 of half a tooth pitch. A screw 657 locks the eccentric pin 647 in position and a pointer 659 fixed on the eccentric pin by a screw 661 indicates the setting of the eccentric. To insure that the pawls are 

